Photo credit: www.foxnews.com
Former Michigan Football Coach Pleads Not Guilty to Hacking Charges
The former co-offensive coordinator for the Michigan football team has entered a plea of not guilty amid serious federal charges. Matt Weiss, aged 42, is facing a 24-count indictment for allegedly hacking into the private information of thousands of student athletes.
According to announcements from federal prosecutors, Weiss was dismissed from his coaching role under the leadership of Jim Harbaugh following a thorough investigation into these incidents.
Details of the Allegations
The indictment highlights that between 2015 and 2023, Weiss reportedly accessed student athlete databases maintained by a third-party vendor, affecting over 100 colleges and universities. This unauthorized access allegedly allowed him to download sensitive personal data belonging to more than 150,000 athletes.
From that data, Weiss purportedly accessed the personal information of over 2,000 individuals, gaining entry to their social media accounts, emails, and cloud storage systems.
Prosecutors have stated that Weiss then misused this sensitive information to download personal and intimate digital photos and videos, which should never have been shared outside of private relationships.
Legal Consequences
Weiss faces serious legal repercussions, including 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. Each unauthorized access charge could result in a maximum of five years in prison, while identity theft charges carry potential sentences of up to two years. Additionally, there is a significant financial penalty associated with each computer access violation, with fines reaching up to $250,000.
Background in Football
At the time of his dismissal, Weiss was part of the Wolverines coaching staff that led the team to victory in the Big Ten and participated in the 2022 College Football Playoff. Prior to this, he had also served under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and was part of John Harbaugh’s coaching team with the Baltimore Ravens.
The developments in this case raise significant concerns about privacy and the protection of personal information, especially in the context of college athletics, where many individuals are particularly vulnerable. The legal proceedings will be closely monitored as they unfold.
Source
www.foxnews.com